The Middle East is in the midst of unparalleled heights of tension, not seen in recent history. There are four major flashpoints that could provoke a wider war in the Middle East. In addition to the conflict hostility between Israel and Lebanon, Iraq and Syria have all become hornet nests of confrontations since the war in Gaza. A violent spike in any of these hot spots could quickly escalate to a wider confrontation. The Bible teaches us that in the latter days that God shall make Israel-Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about. We know that the last great battle of human history will take place in the Middle East.

Armageddon has come to portray our worst nightmare; that is why the word “Armageddon” has become synonymous with disaster and the termination of world type events. Even Hollywood has used the term and title in its epic 1998 American disaster film, “Armageddon”. Much of that film was fiction and impossible as experts claimed. Folks, there is nothing inaccurate or impossible about what the scriptures teach about the Second coming of Christ and Armageddon.

I. The Second Coming of Jesus Christ (19:11-16)

1. This event is the very pinnacle of all human history-the climactic event toward which all history culminates. Describing the Second Coming, John says in Revelation 19:11, And I saw heaven opened, and a rider on a white horse, who is no other than Jesus Himself. A white horse with a rider also appeared in Revelation 6:1, but the similarities between these two riders end there. The rider in chapter six was the Antichrist, who came with empty promises and unjustly made war. In contrast, the rider in chapter 19 is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war (19:11). He sets up an everlasting peace.

a) The eyes as aflame of fire (19:11) His eyes were like flames of fire…definitely connect Him with John’s vision of Christ in chapter one. On His head are not just seven crowns (12:3), or ten (13:1), but many crowns (19:11). Verse 12 also says he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. This is amazing to some; John apparently was able to see the name but did not comprehend it.

There are mysteries connected with the person of Jesus Christ that no created being will ever be able to comprehend.

b) Comparing the description of the armies that followed Christ in verse 14 with verse eight, this army is composed of all believers of the church. The word armies is plural, indicating not only the army of saints (Jude 14-15), but also an army of a heavenly host of angels according to 2 Thess. 1:7-9.

c) We read in verse 15, … And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations. By the power of His spoken word, not with His hand or with bombs, He will destroy the armies of the earth. By simply speaking, Jesus will smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: Here we will learn what is meant by the phrase “he treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.”

We find even in Revelation 14 verse 20, “The winepress was trodden outside the city and blood came out from the winepress up to the horses’ bridles for a distance of two hundred miles.” That’s the distance from Megiddo all the way to the south through Jerusalem and down to the southern parts of what would be near Edom.

2. That “rod of iron” is a symbol of tough justice, of unbending, unwavering righteousness. It is the standard of God’s morality which he cannot lessen or diminish in any way. This is descriptive of the millennial years when righteousness will reign in all the earth. There will be sin and sinners present, but they cannot upset things; their evil will be immediately brought to justice.

3. The effect of our Lord’s appearance upon the anti-Christian enemies we have been observing is given in Verses 17 on. On His vesture dipped in blood (19:13) and on his thigh was the name, KING OF KINGS, there is no doubt who this is and why He has come. There is a call to a great slaughter call…

II. The Great Supper of God” Verse 17 & 18

1. In contrast to the marriage supper of the Lamb this supper describes the destruction and death of the enemies of Christ, and the other symbolizes the wonderful fellowship and destiny of believers in Christ. The fowls that fly in the midst of heaven (19:17) are summoned to eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men they will feed on the bodies of those who were slain by the Lord. That has to be a lot of vultures.

Years ago Israel had a severe aviation problem. The severity of the problem had to do with birds, migrating birds. In fact, it was such a severe problem that more Israeli jets have been downed by birds than by enemies. Pilots were in danger at certain periods of the years when these birds migrate.”

The studies completed realized that the birds would rather migrate through Israel because it is fertile than fly in the barren deserts to the east or over the waters. So millions and millions of birds stretching from Western Europe into Siberia, Asia, all funnel through Israel. Christ is coming back and He will destroy all the ungodly, and provide carnage for scavenger birds. There will be no storage of flying hungry fowl.

III. The Battle of Armageddon (19:19-21)

1. Verses 19-21 describes the most frightening holocaust in human history- the Battle of Armageddon. It is not so much a battle but an execution. There is no contest the war is over before the battle begins. The beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies are powerless before the returning Christ. He simply speaks, and the beast and false prophet are throw into the lake of fire.

2. This event cannot be understood unless we remember that in Revelation 16:16-21 the armies of the world had gathered in Palestine to oppose the beast and his armies, but they apparently forget their animosity toward each other and unite to oppose Christ and His holy army. Remember, chapters 17 and 18 are an interlude, explaining Babylon, her sins, and destruction. So, the account of this event resumes in 19:17, beginning where 16:16-21 ended.

3. It is a horrifying scene from the perspective of earth. All of the forces of evil gather in one place to make war against God and his kingdom. John gives us this symbolic imagery, (Revelation 16:13-16). “Then I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle . . . Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon”

a) Look with me at another description of this day and the Battle of Armageddon in Zechariah 14: 1-6 & 12 and read these verses with me. What a description of this day!
4. The voice that spoke and created the world (John 1:3), the voice that atoms and molecules obey, will again speak, and the lost world will be unable to find any weapon on earth powerful enough to defend themselves against the Word of God. He does not need to build planes or bombs or guns or anything he will but speak and the very effect will come to past.

The plea of Isaiah 64:1-2: This prayer for deliverance will be on the lips of the Jewish people surviving through the Great Tribulation. Unlikely as it may seem now, they will cry out to Jesus their Messiah for deliverance, and as a whole, they will embrace Him as their Savior. Hard pressed by the terrible persecution of the Antichrist, Israel as a whole will turn their hearts towards Jesus, and He will deliver them at this late hour.

5. Verse 21 reveals the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth … It appears the battle is over instantly, it is no contest. Jesus merely speaking the word, and then all the fowls were filled with their flesh (19:21). We don’t normally think of people actually daring to go to war against God. People war against other people. But the Bible reveals that men will actually try to fight the returning Jesus Christ.

These end-time dictators and demagogues covet ruler-ship of the world, and they hope to succeed through their immense armies and destructive weapons-weapons powerful enough to destroy all life from the planet.
God knows that, unless He sends Jesus Christ to intervene in human affairs at that critical juncture Matthew 24:22 tells us:
– And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.”

The curtain now falls on the most terrible events in human history, as the judgment of God has been fully meted out upon a guilty planet. The Bible is clear: there will be a day of reckoning and punishment.

Conclusion:

We should be anticipating this event. The Apostle Paul spoke of this in
II Timothy 4:8. In so saying, he defines a Christian as someone who loves Christ’s appearing. We don’t love His appearing as we should. We become comfortable and enamored by things in this world. Christians must be prepared for Christ’s return and remember it comes unexpectedly. Therefore, we are to occupy until he comes and watch for signs of God’s convicting and compelling work in your live.